Recently I can think of a few films that were gimmicky(For good or bad). It seems that all films are in some ways gimmicky. So is this criticism valid? A gimmicky film is usually thought as one to some, but not to others, why is this?

The screenplay by first time "into the pool" Jim Uhls was brilliantly written and the dark, film noir look of almost any David Fincher film just fit perfect.

I think films like "Fight Club" and other movies with a "deep" meaning like "American Beauty" symbolize different things for different people. My parents hated "Beauty" and I loved it, why? I must confess, I have no idea . I think its movies like that that can challenge the human mind and emotion that generates the controversy

* = “The Score” is directed by Frank Oz. The story is a thief story. See the trailer at http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/the_score/ the music BTW: is composed by Howard Shore.

--Brian

Here in England our film industry thrives off gimmicks. We'll have one film that is considered original then a slew of lame copycats and it pains me to have to endure more bouts of cockney comic violence or junkie club culture movie again and again.

Bottom line is, if there's talent and originality behind yet, yes a so called "gimmick" is good.

I want movies to cast new light on the human condition,
to discover something different about us, or to explore old themes (apathy,
coming of age, “to be or not to be,” loss of innocence, etc.) from a unique
and different perspective. And I also at times want fun and pure escapism that
stretches my imagination. How can a director do these things? Tilt a
camera, stay in real time, tinted cinematography, use the camera like
a still photo, use music in an unexpected manner, toss out the predictable
endings, edit violence into a ballet (Peckinpah), etc.

Are these gimmicks or unique, visionary art?
A. Speilberg: Filming Schindler’s List in black and white while coloring
one little girl in red. Saving Private Ryan. The first 20 minutes where
the camera acts like it is being hand held by a correspondent for
realism.
B. Magnolia. Themes like the sins of the fathers are visited upon their
sons and extreme regret developed through a series of time and music
shifts, whirling cameras, and “Kermit” rain.
C. Traffic. Frightening correlation between current drug wars and the Myth
of Sisyphus. Each of the three story lines is delineated by a different colored
camera lens.

Gimmicks? Art? I don’t know. Who adjudicates what is a gimmick versus
a new art form? Look at the disagreements on Fight Club, which I really enjoyed
and my husband absolutely hated. As stated previously, the test of time seems
to be the final arbiter.

Quill, you raise an interesting issue, and for the most part, I’m in agreement
with you. I’m not a lover of extremely bombastic films that preach and hammer
their versions of the “right” answers. Give the audience some credit for brains.

However, I am a proponent of social awareness and some commentary. I’d
rather “know” or at least be made aware of certain issues (even if a tad
bit of preaching accompanies the film) than be kept in the dark. Awareness
is at least the first step in taking appropriate action. For instance, I’m rather
glad The China Syndrome was made as I live very close to the Hanford Nuclear
Reservation. Our community asked Hanford scientists some tough questions after
that movie. (Of course they basically said it could “never” happen, it was just
Jane Fonda’s liberal agenda, etc. Hmmm, we still asked the questions
and pushed for more quality controls.) The Snake Pit may have sped up better
treatment for the mentally ill. Nothing wrong with Fail Safe and The Day After.
A wise citizenry within a democratic society should question decisions that
may affect their very existence. No Blade of Grass and Soylent Green
may have been preachy, but maybe they lead to more environmental quality
controls. And I appreciate various perspectives of history. Certainly The
Green Berets and Platoon presented diverse points of view towards the
Viet Nam war. Movies that have tackled “un-talked-about” issues such
as incest, child abuse, and spousal abuse may help victims or prevent
future abuses.

Those are rather extreme examples. Again, I prefer subtlety to preachiness as
I think you do, but I still do not want, “the unexamined life.”

Yeah, Quill, I too prefer a good book over any other medium.

NP Western Themes of Dimitri Tiomkin